Teen Titans Disney Crossovers
by MissFandom
Summary: Forget the title. If it were a crossover, I would have set it as a crossover. I'm just replacing Disney characters with Teen Titan characters. Lion King Part Two is now up. Includes the main Titans, Terra, Slade, and other minor characters. Romance is only a genre because it's Disney. Roll with it.
1. Lion King Part One

**So, I had this AWESOME idea... Title says it all... Have fun reading!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING EXCEPT THE LAPTOP I'M WORKING ON!**

* * *

**-THE LION KING-**

Robin (Richard Grayson) as Simba

Starfire (Koriand'r) as Nala

Cyborg (Victor Stone) as Puumba

Beast Boy (Garfield Logan) as Timon

Raven as Rafiki

Terra as hyenas

FEATURING

Slade as Scar

John Grayson (Robin's father) as Mufasa

Mary Grayson (Robin's mother) as Sarabi

Bruce Wayne as Zazu

* * *

John was showing his eight-year-old son around the circus. The child was already well familiar with his surroundings at Haley's Circus, and enjoyed every minute of it. After Dick's tour, his father showed him something he has seen many times a day: A trapeze set.

"This is where your mother and I perform our acts," John said to the excited boy. "We know you are very talented already, but I can't say you're ready to perform for others yet... but one day, when you're old enough, you'll be able to perform in front of crowds all by yourself! The crowds will be dazzled! And your mother and I will be very proud of you, Dick."

The boy's face lightened, but his father gave him a serious look, "Son. You must promise me you won't perform on the trapeze without a net until we say you can," he warned.

"Yes, Dad. I promise."

"Good. Now you can go and play," John said. Dick ran off without another word.

He ran through the tents, saying hello to his parents' co-workers. He loved everything about the circus, and he found it to be a blessing that he was born to the famous trapeze artists, John and Mary Grayson, also known as the Flying Graysons. _One day soon,_ he thought. _I'll be old enough to perform with Mom and Dad. Maybe one day I'll perform by myself! Then I can be the greatest trapeze artist in the world!_

That thought excited him. He had almost pasted his Uncle Slade: A man with a scar over his right eye that was constantly hidden with an eye patch. Dick has always thought of him to be grumpy, dull, and formal. His parents would agree with him on that. Hoping to brighten his uncle's day, Dick jumped on Uncle Slade's back.

"Hi, Uncle Slade!" He beamed as the older man pried the child off his back and set him down in front of him.

"Oh, looks like I found a gnat flying around," Slade said sarcastically.

He tried to walk away, but Dick was excited, "Uncle Slade! Guess what?"

"I'm not particularly in the mood for guessing," he grimaced at the eight-year-old.

"Dad showed me around the circus today! He told me that when I'm old enough, I can perform on the trapeze set in front of crowds... without a net!"

Uncle Slade rolled his eye, "How fascinating, isn't it, Richard? I, being the older of myself and your father, should be in your father's shoes right now: Preforming death-defying stunts on nothing but two polls and a couple swings... But because of my eye, Mr. Haley found it a safety hazard to perform with one eye... I can promise you, Richard, your father is a very fortunate man considering I got my eye shot out."

But Dick had only listened to about half of what his uncle told him, being an innocent, young, happy child, he thought almost nothing of it.

"It's okay, Uncle Slade," Dick jumped onto his uncle's arms again, and he lazily allowed his nephew to be held. "When I become the greatest trapeze artist in the world, I'll let you work with me!"

"How considerate of you, Richard," Slade said with false gratitude. "But 'greatest trapeze artist in the word' is quite a title. After all, you are still a child."

"Yeah, but I'll work really hard! I'll practice every day! I know I can do it!"

An idea popped on Slade's mind as he set the child back down. He lowered himself to be close to Dick's height, "Determination... I had that once... Sometimes all the determination in the world won't matter unless you live up to your word. Why don't you try practicing now?"

Dick smiled, "You really think they'll let me?"

"Of course, Richard. Even without the net."

He frowned and faced down, "Dad says I'm not old enough to take the net off yet."

"That's because your father lacks confidence in you," Uncle Slade replied.

The boy looked up in confusion, "He does?"

His uncle nodded solemnly. The boy stood in silence for a moment before speaking again, "But I've done a whole ton of stuff! I don't fall as much as I used to... and Dad said himself that he and Mom are proud of me."

"You are remarkably skilled in acrobatics for someone your age, Richard," Slade added. "If only there was a way for you to prove yourself... say, I don't know, removing the net and practicing when no one else is around... as an example..."

He gestured the thought with extreme body language, allowing Dick to understand where his uncle was going with this. He beamed up happily at the man.

"That's a great idea! I'll prove I don't need the net! Thanks, Uncle Slade!"

But before the boy ran off, the man grabbed the boy's shoulder, "Oh, and Richard... I would prefer it if no one knew of our little secret."

He nodded, "Okay."

Slade revealed an evil smirk as the boy innocently ran off once more.

Dick had one more stop to make before going to the trapeze set. He ran to his longest and best friend, Starfire. A red-haired, green-eyed, orange-skinned girl who came from a different planet. She was about the same age as him, and since they first met when they were both really little, they have been very close. He found her sitting in front of a mirror brushing her long hair. She gasped in excitement as she saw her best friend in the mirror's reflection. Starfire turned around and gave Dick a tight hug.

"Ow! Star, you're hurting me!" He tried to breath on the strong hold of the young Tameranean princess.

"Oh, I am Sorry," She said, letting go of the dark-haired boy, allowing him to breath.

"Starfire, I want to show you something!" He exclaimed a little too loudly. He was overheard by his mother.

"Show her what?" Mary asked, crossing her arms in a way that felt intimidating to both children.

Dick felt nervous, and he knew he couldn't tell her the truth. "Um... uh, I just wanted to show Starfire a, uh new trick that the clowns are doing."

"That is all?" Starfire asked. She seemed to loose all interest. "What is so great about the joke of the clowns, Dick?"

He gritted his teeth and spoke as bluntly as he could, knowing his mother can hear him, "I'll. Show. You. When. We. Get. There."

"Ooh!" Starfire finally understood. "May we please go, Mrs. Grayson?" She asked sweetly.

"Please Mom?" Dick asked as well, putting on his best puppy face.

His mom chuckled at how adorable the two children were, "Oh, alright. You can go."

"Yes!" Both kids shouted, and were about to leave when Dick's mother added.

"But I'll be sending Bruce to look after you."

Starfire and Dick could not help but hide their disappointment. Bruce Wayne was a very rich man who was close friends with Dick's father. It's part of Bruce's job to take care of the circus kids, although he isn't really the fatherly type.

A moment later, Bruce was chaperoning the two kids over to the clowns. _We're too old for a babysitter_, Dick thought._ Why does he have to come with us?_

"So where are we really going?" Starfire whispered so Bruce wouldn't hear.

Dick walked alongside her and whispered even quieter into her ear, "To the trapeze set. I'll show you I don't need the net to use it."

"That sounds glorious!" She whispered-screamed. Dick tried to shush her, but Bruce already heard.

"I see you two enjoy whispering secrets to each other often," he said. "You would become a great couple one day."

"What?! Eew!" Both exclaimed at that sudden comment.

"That would be weird," Dick said, half-disgusted, half-amused.

Starfire felt the same way, "And we are just friends."

"It's just an opinion," Bruce added.

Starfire whispered again into his ear, "How are we going to get rid of him?"

Dick looked over to the elephants and smiled, "I have an idea."

"What are you two talking about back there?" the man asked, growing suspicious.

All three of them stopped walking, "Oh, we were just talking about how one day, I'll be the best trapeze artist in the world!" Dick replied.

"Hmm. That would take years of commitment and hard work, Dick. Not only that, but you would have to surpass both your parents, who, may I remind you, currently holds that position. I do not expect you to achieve this anytime soon, Dick. Let's go the clowns. The sooner we get there, the sooner I get you back to your mother and I won't have to babysit you anymore."

Bruce was about to keep walking when Dick made a v-line towards the elephants, "I bet I can do a back-flip over all these elephants!"

"NO, RICHARD!" Bruce screamed. But the boy had already back-flipped over one. The man ran over to him while Starfire looked at Dick with amusement.

"Wow, Dick!" She smiled. "You're really good! You remind me of the bird, robin!"

Bruce tried to avoid the stomps of the elephants when Dick did a handstand on one of the elephant's backs, before sliding underneath. Naturally, Bruce followed underneath the elephant, before Dick escaped and the elephant sat down, crushing the man. The two kids laughed as they ran towards the trapeze.

"DARN YOU, KIDS!" Bruce muffled angrily underneath the heavy circus animal.

"HAHAHAHA! That was awesome!" Starfire said.

Dick smiled, "If you thought THAT was awesome, wait until you see this!" He went to the net and began undoing it from the trapeze. Starfire helped, and when the net was removed, Dick began to climb the ladder.

Starfire began feeling concerned, "Are you sure this is a good idea? You are pretty high up," she said as Dick climbed higher and higher.

"I'll be fine! I've done this trick a ton of times," he said as he finally reached the platform. He now noticed the distance between him and the ground when he looked down at Starfire's tiny figure. He began feeling afraid, since this was his first time without a net, but he tried not to let it worry him. Dick breathed and grabbed the bar before swinging off the platform.

Starfire gazed happily at her friend's performance as he moved from bar to bar, appearing to be flying. She wasn't lying when she thought he looked like a robin. His colorful uniform certainly helped. She was so focused on Dick, she almost missed seeing a figure climb up the ladder to join him. Starfire gasped when she saw who it was.

"DICK!" She screamed.

Dick was in the middle of a flip. When she called his name, he was momentarily distracted and grabbed the bar a second too late. Only for a second he had forgotten he was working without a net, grateful it would catch him. He realized that he had removed the net, and if he made contact with the ground, he would surely die. He began to fall, letting only a gasp escape his lips before he felt a large hand grab his wrist.

John pulled his son back on the platform and dragged him down the ladder, almost forcefully. When they reached the bottom, Dick saw just how crossed his father was.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW STUPID THAT WAS? I HAD TOLD YOU NOT TO PRACTICE WITHOUT A NET!"

Dick cowered in fear at his father's outburst and a very tattered Bruce behind him.

"Not to mention what you did to me, you twerp!" Bruce added.

Starfire walked up right behind Dick. He almost didn't notice her.

"Please, the fault was not his!" She begged. He looked at her and noticed that she looks like she might cry.

"Stay out of this, Koriand'r," Bruce warned, but not in an angry way.

John looked from his son to Bruce to the girl, "Bruce... please take Starfire back to her tent. I need to have a talk with my son... alone."

Bruce walked towards Dick and rested a hand on his shoulder, "Good luck, Dick... you'll need it."

He obliged to John and went over to the girl, "Come on, princess Koriand'r. Say goodbye."

"Goodbye, Dick," she said quickly before Bruce forced her out of the room.

"Bye, Starfire," he said, only half sure she heard him. He looked at the disappointed face of his father as he led Dick outside into the night sky.

Dick was immediately mesmerized by the stars in the sky. Most of the time, Haley's circus would perform in cities, so a view like this was rare. The boy forgot for a moment that his father was mad at him for disobeying him.

His father looked at his son in the eyes. John's expression grew neutral, "Dick, look at the sky. Tell me what you see."

"I see the stars," he said, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"Do you see how the stars are twinkling and dancing in the sky?" Dick nodded. "When performers die, they are reborn in the sky. That's why they are called stars... Up there, your grandparents are shining down on us... and their parents and their parents. The Flying Graysons have been in this circus for generations."

John wrapped an arm on his son's shoulder. "We may be performers, Dick, but know that we are far from cowards. I don't know what caused you to act so reckless, but I almost lost you! You nearly died!"

Shame overwhelmed Dick as his father spoke.

"Your mother and I love you very much. We both work very hard to make sure you have the life you are provided with. We don't want you wasting it on stupid stunts like that!"

Dick hugged his father, "I'm sorry, Dad. I-I should have known better... I was scared..." John looked at his son when he said this. Dick continued. "...I thought I would fall... If you hadn't caught me..."

"It's okay to feel scared, Dick," John said, hugging him back. "Everyone gets afraid."

"What are you afraid of, Dad?" He let go of the hug to look at his father.

He looked deeply at his son, "I was afraid I would loose you."

This almost surprised him. His eyes widened as he looked at his dad. He knew that he was just trying to protect him, "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, son," John said. He gazed back up at the stars. "One day, I will join the sky. Just know that no matter what happens, the stars will always be there to guide you."

Dick took in his father's words. He may be a child, but he was old enough to understand he wouldn't have his mom and dad around forever. Right now he was just happy he had his dad now. Dick smiled and jumped on his father's back and played with him. He was glad to have him in his life.

* * *

Weeks passed by without incident. Dick has never been so excited in his life. After practicing for endless hours with his mom and dad, he was now ready to perform with them. Starfire was waiting for him, as she was already dressed.

"Come on, Dick! You must hurry! Or else you will miss MY part!" she pleaded.

"Don't worry, Star, I'm almost done," Dick pulled on his green gloves and joined his friend, who was dressed in her warrior uniform. "You look great, Starfire."

"As do you," she replied.

Dick remembered her comment about him from a few weeks ago, "Do you... really think I look like a robin?"

She nodded, before his mother entered the room, "Yes you do, my little robin."

This comment made Dick blush and Starfire giggle, "Do you really think I'm ready, Mom?"

"Of course I do, Dick," Mary said in her most comforting voice. "It's your dream, isn't it? For the first time ever, you'll be out there entertaining the crowds! They'll love you, My Robin."

She kissed her son's cheek. Normally he would have been embarrassed by this, especially in front of his best friend. Right now, though, he just felt comforted like any other child with their mother. They knew everything would be alright.

They saw people beginning to file in the tent. "The show will start soon," Mary said. "You two can play here, but be quiet about it and stay behind stage," she ordered.

"Yes, Mrs. Grayson," Starfire said politely.

"Yes, Mom," Dick said, nodding as his mother left the area.

The moment she was out of earshot Dick felt Starfire's fingers on his exposed arm, "Tag! You're it!" And she ran giggling.

Completely forgetting his mother's orders, he followed her in a steady run. Eventually he caught up to her, only to find that Uncle Slade was in front of them.

"Richard? Koriand'r? Weren't you told not to go running about right before a show?"

"Sorry, Slade"

"Sorry, Uncle Slade," the two said in unison, bowing their heads in shame.

Slade shook his head, "You are both getting far too old for this kind of behavior. How old are you again?"

"Eight," they both said.

The one-eyed man smirked, "I'll keep note of that. You children better prepare. This is your first performance, isn't it, Richard?"

He nodded, "Yeah! Mom said I'll do great!"

Slade smirked down at his nephew, "I'm sure you will, kid. As for you, princess," he addressed to Starfire. "You've been performing here for how long?"

"Four years," she said shyly.

Dick had to admit he felt jealous that his best friend could start preforming much sooner than him. He got over it though, since he has always enjoyed her company.

The man nodded, "You perform very well, don't you, Kori?"

"Only because of my... abilities..."

"Ah, yes... your ability to fly and shoot... What do you call them? Starbolts, that's right. Not something the average human girl can do."

Dick and Starfire became confused as to where this was going. They looked from each other back to Slade.

"She's not human," Dick reminded his uncle. "And I don't care if she isn't average. Star's my best friend."

"How touching," Slade smirked. "I have some... business to attend to before the show starts. Please try not to bother me."

The three of them listened as Mr. Haley started speaking to the audience, signaling that the show is about to start.

"I believe that's your cue, Ms. Koriand'r," Slade said before walking away from the duo.

"Good luck!" Dick said happily to his friend. She smiled back before heading out to do her act.

He watched from behind the stage as Starfire flew into the air. Next to her was a lion in a cage. This never scared Dick or Starfire in the slightest, since he knew she was powerful enough to defeat it. Because of her age, many of the circus performers still get anxious whenever Star does her act. The audience watched, and all eyes focused on the Tameranean girl.

The lion was released, and began growling and encircling Starfire. The audience was on the edge of their seats. Dick was never worried about his friend in these situations, but seemed more worried for the lion. Many times he would remind Starfire not to hurt the poor creature, and she never did. The crown watched as she used her powers to avoid the wild cat, ultimately placing the lion back into the cage, unharmed.

Dick cheered for his friend, and during Starfire's act, no one noticed Uncle Slade walking towards the trapeze nets...

The show carried on. After he congratulated his friend, Dick and Starfire watched the others do their performances. They both already knew all the secrets to the death-defying stunts, but they allowed themselves to enjoy the show anyway. Finally, Mr. Haley announced The Flying Graysons.

"You're up, Dick," Starfire said, giving him a push. "Best of luck!"

"Thanks," he said quickly. He came out with his parents, all in uniform. The crowd cheered as the family entered and readied themselves on the net-less trapeze. Dick knew he wouldn't have to worry about the net. He was able to do the whole performance forward and backward without falling once.

As they did tricks and spun in the air, all of Dick's doubts ceased. He almost couldn't hear Starfire cheering for him below. He smiled and laughed as he swung from the bar to be caught safely in the arms of his mother before all three of them landed firmly on the platform. The crowd's applause dimmed as Mr. Haley spoke.

"And now! The moment you've all been waiting for: The Flying Graysons' quadruple flip!"

Dick and his parents began, dazzling the crowd. John was swinging by his legs as Dick flipped four times in the air, getting a louder cheer from the crowd. As John grabbed his son's arms, Mary was now spinning in the air herself. The crowed tensed, wondering if John would catch Mary in time. The family all knew he would, considering this was how it was rehearsed. John pulled his son onto the platform before going back for his wife. Dick saw the wires breaking a second too late.

"MOM! DAD!" He screamed. "THE WIRES!"

John had caught Mary after her fourth flip, but the wire of the bar John was supported on snapped. Dick watched in horror as his parents crashed onto the ground. Two loud cracks were heard that echoed the circus tent. Dick's vision grew watery.

"NO!" He descended from the ladder. Panic began flaring throughout the crowd. Dick held the limp, bloody head of his mother, then his father. Tears ran down his cheeks as the eight-year-old helplessly tried to wake them.

"Mom! Dad! Please! Wake up! Wake up!"

Mr. Haley had already called the ambulance and the police._ They can't be dead_, Dick thought. _They can't!_

Starfire tried to comfort her friend in his time of need, but the clowns held her back, saying she couldn't interfere with this.

"He needs me!" She cried. "I need to help them!"

"I'm afraid help is too late," she heard a voice say. She turned around seeing Dick's Uncle Slade. She grew suspicious by the tone of his voice.

_Why isn't he crying? Or at least saddened? His brother and sister-in-law just fell from the set! Why is he acting so calm in a time like this?_ She thought.

"Please, Slade! I need to-"

"I understand your concerns, Princess Koriand'r," He turned his attention to the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Grayson and bit his tongue to hide a smile. "It is best however, that... given the circumstances... I must be the one to comfort my nephew in his time of need. You are to rest, Koriand'r. Go to sleep, and in the morning, you shall confront him once his emotions have died down."

Starfire nodded. Slade's logic did make sense to her, "Yes, sir."

Dick cried on his parents as police officers tried to pry him off, "No! They can't be dead!"

_For an eight-year-old, the boy sure puts up a fight_, Slade thought. _I'll keep that in mind..._

Slade placed a hand on his nephew's shoulders as he sniffled uncontrollably, "Easy there, son... There's nothing more you can do."

Dick turned around, revealing his watery, blue eyes as they widened at his uncle. He shook his head, "They can't die! I love them!"

The police officers took this opportunity to pry the boy away from his family. He screamed and kicked in protest, "STOP! I NEED THEM! MOM! DAD! HELP!"

The one-eyed man shook his head in disapproval. _The reality still hasn't sunk in yet, hasn't it? That's what happens when you make a child believe that everything will always go right. Pathetic._

"Officers, I'm this child's uncle. May I please have him for a moment?" The boy stopped screaming when the cops brought him to his Uncle Slade. "Follow me, Richard. We need to get you away from here."

As the boy sniffled heavily, Slade grabbed his hand and led him outside. They didn't stop right outside the tent as Dick thought they would. His uncle continued walking with him by his side. To depressed to ask questions, Dick kept following him. As the minutes slowly crept by, the boy's sniffles lessened and he stopped crying. It was very cold out and he was still dressed in his light circus uniform that exposed his arms and legs. His cries were replaced with shivers after what seemed like ten minutes at least. When Slade noticed this, he stopped walking and let go of the child's hand.

"W-Where a-are we?" he finally asked, holding his arms for warmth.

"I never intended a destination, Richard... I just couldn't have a decent conversation with you crying like you were. This was just to calm you down."

Dick noticed he was surrounded by trees. Not too much trees like a forest... maybe a park? It was too dark out for him to tell, "I'm cold. Ca-Can we m-move somewhere wa-warmer?"

"Where were you suggesting, Dick? Back to the circus?" Slade asked casually.

His eyes widened as he recalled the terrible incident that occurred just a few moments ago, "They'll be alright, won't they? My mom and dad will be alright! They'll wake up!"

For a moment, Dick had forgotten he was cold, "Your mother and father won't be waking up, Richard. Their necks broke when they fell. Whether you like it or not, you need to see the truth: They are dead."

"...No..." The words sank in and Slade watched as the small boy made the realization.

"But at least one good thing came from tonight... You got your wish."

"What?!" _What kind of joke is this?_ he thought.

Slade leaned down towards the boy, "You are now the greatest trapeze artist in the world."

Dick shook his head and took an involuntary step backwards, "No! This isn't what I wanted to happen!"

"Real life is much more complicated than the circus life, Richard. And the most important rule you should learn is that life isn't fair. Your parents are dead. You are an orphan."

"But Uncle Slade-" He shouted at his uncle. Slade interrupted.

"-An orphan who will have to leave the circus. You will have to grow up in an orphanage."

Dick shook his head, "No, that isn't true! I still have you, Uncle Slade! And Starfire!"

"Do you really think," Slade said in a sickening, amused tone. "that I am capable of raising a child on my own? I'm afraid I cannot adopt you. And as for the princess... She doesn't even care about you."

"THAT'S A LIE!"

"Is it, Dick? I saw Starfire after the accident. As you were crying on your parents' corpses, she didn't even bat an eye. I tried to ask her if she wanted to comfort you, but she declined. Koriand'r said she doesn't grieve over entertainers... even if they were the parents of her so-called 'best friend'."

Dick didn't know how to respond to that. That sounded nothing like the Starfire he knew... but it did concern him when she didn't appear by his side.

"Where is she?"

"Probably fast asleep in bed. As the warrior type, I don't think she feels the slightest bit of guilt."

_I don't have a friend_, he thought. _Starfire was my only real friend. I don't have parents anymore... I don't have a home..._

"What should I do?" He asked. Dick was desperate and confused. He felt alone.

"I say you should leave. Your life no longer belongs here. The longer you stay, the more they will think this tragic accident was your fault."

"But it's not!" Dick was reminded of the bitter cold as a gust of wind pricked his skin. He kept backing away from his uncle. "I didn't touch those wires!"

"Then run!" Slade said. "Run away and never come back!"

Without waiting for another word, the boy darted off into the darkness. He had no idea where he was going. He just wanted to be far away from the circus... Far away from his old life... Far away from his uncle... Far away from Starfire. He still couldn't believe that his life-long best friend would completely ignore him in his time of need. Maybe she thought she was too good for him... Well, she was a royalty.

Starfire was a princess... Dick was just an acrobat...

...An orphaned acrobat...

Dick had no idea how long or how far he traveled. The circus was long ago out of sight. He wondered if anyone would look for him... Mr. Haley might still need him to perform by himself, but he didn't want that. Not after what happened to his parents. He could never go back.

As he walked, his legs grew tired and numb from the cold. He wished he was wearing something other than his Flying Grayson uniform. In fact, as soon as he found something else to change into, he would throw his uniform away. He didn't even want to be called 'Dick' anymore. His name even brought back too many memories. He would think of his alternate name later...

The sun rose behind him, allowing himself to enjoy the warmth to come. He was tired, cold, and hungry. Dick noticed he was walking through a rocky terrain. Not a speck of green in sight, other than on the boy's uniform. No water. No food. No shelter. Dick's legs could no longer let him stand, and he fell on the ground in fatigue. _Maybe I'll just rest for a while_, he thought. _Then I'll try to find the closest town._

He allowed himself to fall asleep, waking up only an hour later as the sun brightened the sky. It was still cold, but he felt a little warmer than he did hours ago. He forced himself to get up and keep walking. After a couple hours of walking, it felt much warmer, but Dick knew that unless he got out of the terrain soon, it would be too hot.

"So... hungry..." Dick said in response to his loud stomach. He searched for some sign of life in vain. He was used to being pampered by his parents and the circus. He was used to eating lots of food. Especially hot dogs and pretzels. He even enjoyed non-circus related food prepared by his mother. Different assorts of pasta and salads filled Dick's mind and his mouth began to water.

"Stop thinking about food!" He said to himself bitterly. "Stop thinking about Mom!"

He tried to push those thoughts out of his mind. He had to focus on surviving. A strange noise caused him to look behind him. A blond girl, roughly his age was surfing on rocks, causing the ground beneath Dick to tremble. When the girl saw him, she stopped and dropped to his level.

"Hey, kid, are you lost?" She asked.

"How did you do that?" Dick asked in amazement.

She shrugged, "I practice. I have rock manipulating powers... I was just heading to town to get some stuff. You need a ride?"

"Sure!" he said. The girl placed his arms around her shoulders.

"Now hang on, kid!" And she used her powers to make it to the town.

"Where are we?"

"Fallside, Calfornia," she answered. "It's a small town... not too far from Jump City... You look like you could use some new clothes. We'll stop somewhere to eat and get you something less Christmassy for you to wear."

He nodded as they walked down the streets together, getting glares from other people. The rock manipulator noticed this.

"We're getting too much attention. Let's give you something to wear first. Then we can grab a bite. Follow me!"

Dick didn't argue as she led him to an alleyway. There was a large, brown door leading into a building. The girl made a move as to open the door.

"I still don't know your name," he admitted.

"It's Terra. Terra isn't my real name, but it's what I like to be called. And yours?"

He didn't want to be called by his real name or his nickname. At the last second, Dick made up a new name, "My name's Robin." He grimaced as memories of his mother and Starfire flooded through his mind.

"Robin. I like that name. With your outfit, you kinda look like one."

That didn't help him at all, "I get that a lot."

Terra turned back towards the door and knocked on it. A round man from the other side opened it. "Hello, Terra!" The man smiled. "Brought a friend I see."

"This is Robin. Do you have anything for him to wear?"

The man looked at the dirty boy, "He looks like he's been on the streets for a week! Come in, Robin. Let me see if I have anything for you." Dick entered the building to find himself in a thrift shop. He awkwardly followed the man to the boy's clothes. "How about this?" he asked, holding up a blue, graphic t-shirt in front of him.

"That looks a little too big."

"Or maybe this?" The man held up a smaller t-shirt. It was red with short, green sleeves.

"Yeah, okay," Dick said, taking the shirt. After spending five more minutes picking out a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, socks, and boxers, he went into the changing room to change into the new outfit.

When he came out, he still looked dirty from the dust of the rocks he slept on, but at least he looked normal enough for the public eye. "You look great!" Terra said, now wearing a new outfit as well. She wore brown hiking boots and combat shorts that looked like boy's clothing and a grey and black shirt.

"So do you," Robin said. He turned to the man, "Thank you, sir."

"Anytime, kid. Anytime."

Terra and Robin now left through the front door and blended into the crowds. Robin held the bundle of his old clothing in his arms and threw them away in a nearby trash bin. They barely got ten yards from the thrift shop when his stomach rumbled loudly again.

"You're hungry, I see," Terra said, hearing Robin's stomach.

"Yeah... you know anywhere we can eat?" he asked hopefully.

"Yeah. There's a diner not too far from here. They have some of the best pie!"

After eating a full meal, Robin felt himself again. "Thanks for everything, Terra," he said. "but I have to keep going."

"Why?"

Robin wondered if he should tell her. She did help him, probably saved his life, even. "I'm an orphan. I ran away from home after my parents died. No one else cared about me... not even my best friend..."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Terra said. "Follow me. Come on!" Robin followed her to the edge of town, where the rocky terrains came back into view. When he stopped, she grabbed his arm and pulled him further away from the city.

"What are we doing out here?"

Terra smirked, but happiness wasn't emitting from her, "I didn't want anybody seeing us."

"What do you mean?"

She laughed. It would have been menacing if it hadn't been for her young, feminine voice, "Did you really think you could trust me? I was sent here to kill you, Richard!"

Robin gasped. _She knows my name! Uncle Slade was right! They ARE after me! _He turned to run, but Terra shook the ground with ferocity, causing him to fall to his knees.

"Your uniform was a dead giveaway," she continued. Robin turned around to see her eyes beginning to glow yellow. Her hair flowed crazily in the wind that she seemed to create by herself. It was awesome, but terrifying at the same time. "I was paid to kill you because they suspected you! After you ran away like that, they knew you couldn't be trusted! You're no longer a circus brat, Richard!"

It felt like an earthquake. Robin grabbed onto the ground like his life depended on it. He was afraid to move, but he knew that if he didn't he would die. He noticed that the earthquake was actually Terra pulling a large, round boulder from the ground. The boulder hovered until it was right on top of Robin. He rolled out of the way, but when the boulder collided with the ground, it crushed his left arm. He let out a scream as dirt and blood formed on his arm.

"Don't worry," Terra teased. "You'll see your parents again soon!"

He snapped. He let out a growl and ran clumsily towards the girl. "Don't you EVER talk about my parents!" He screamed, raising a fist at her.

He was surprised that Terra let out a small shriek and raised her hands up to protect herself. The shaking around them stopped, giving Robin the advantage. He threw weak punches on her with his uninjured arm. With the bleeding one, he managed to pull her hair. She screamed, but fought back, scratching, hitting, pinching, and even biting him.

The moment Terra was free from Robin's grip, she sent out what seemed like hundreds of bullet-sized rocks. They lifted into the air and bolted at Robin. Thinking quickly, he jumped into the air out of harms way, landing on his hands, and jumped again, landing back on his feet in a crouch. The pebbles violently collided with the ground, causing a thick layer of dust to protect him from her vision.

He ran. He knew it was hopeless for him to escape from her, but he could at least give himself the distance. He ran further into the rocky terrain unwittingly. He could feel the vibrations beneath his feet that she was catching up to him. With Robin's small stature and pure will he ran faster. A rock, a size unknown to him, struck him on the back of his head, and he fell forward with a thud. Stars appeared before his eyes for a brief moment until he was hit again with what felt like a larger rock... He bit his lip in effort not to scream out and remained silent. He let his body go limped and motionlessly held his breath.

Terra looked at the boy, truly believing him to be dead. She thought she had killed him, and seemed none too happy about it. The seven-year-old girl walked towards Richard, nudging him slightly with her shoe. Robin heard her sob, soon followed by the vibrations of the ground pounding against his entire front half. He allowed himself to breath, and when the vibrations stopped, he moved.

_She didn't want to kill me. It was like she was paid to or something... but who tipped her off?_

Robin was in too much pain to think much further. He turned himself over so he was lying on his back, but was cautious of his head. He placed a hand where he had been hit. He felt something warm and sticky. Blood now covered his hand as he brought it back into his view. It scared Robin that he was loosing blood like this. He thought he was going to die. He thought of his parents... Bruce... Mr. Haley... Starfire...

He felt homesick... He wished that someone would save him and patch up his wounds and tell him everything was going to be alright. Tears fell down the side of his face. He was in pain. Not just physical pain... he was betrayed by Terra. He knew she didn't want to do this to him, but it still hurt. He also felt pain from the loss of his parents. It's almost impossible for Robin to believe that they died only just last night... It seemed like years ago he saw them plummeting to their deaths.

It was so hot. the rocks beneath him almost burn to add to the pain he was already experiencing. He was pretty sure his legs were broken, so he couldn't get up. He was too sore to anyway. Sweat added to the tears. His exposed blood seemed to boil on his open wounds. He found the outline of his field of vision blackening as Robin drew further away from consciousness. After what seemed like hours, he finally blacked out.

* * *

The seven-year-old girl approached the masked man. She had ran away from home, afraid to hurt people with her powers. Now Terra is paid to do just that.

"Is he dead?" The man asked.

"Yes," the young mercenary replied.

He handed Terra her money, "Quite impressive for a young girl such as yourself... Then again, you had to hunt down a boy not that much older than you. You have done well, Terra. Your powers are a gift."

She nodded, "I'll be going now." Terra headed towards the door, but before she could exit, the man spoke out.

"And Terra?"

She turned around. She thought the man's mask was terrifying. It only exposed an eye hole and slits for the mouth.

"Yes?"

"We'll be keeping in touch."

Terra nodded, "Yes, Slade."

* * *

Robin woke up to feel he was sitting on something soft. Where ever he was, it was somewhere cooler and more comfortable when where Terra left him for dead. The next thing he noticed was that he was shirtless and covered in bandages. He turned to see two strange boys looking at him. One was green and the other was mostly covered in metal. He took a look at his surroundings since his vision was now fully clear. He was sitting on a couch in a large living room. He has never seen a TV that big before.

"Hey, I think he's waking up!" The green boy said.

The robot boy was holding a first aid kit and a gauze, "Hey, kid. How are you feeling?"

He wanted to say he was fine, but truthfully, he was still in a lot of physical pain... at least his emotional pain had died down... he hoped.

"Better," he forced out. Robin tried to get up, but pain seared in his back. He gritted his teeth and laid back down.

"So what happened to you, dude," the green boy asked. "There were vultures surrounding you when we found you. We thought you were de- Ouch!"

The taller boy punched him in the arm. The smaller winced and rubbed his arm as he went to Robin, "You don't have to tell us anything. Are you okay with sharing your name?"

Robin didn't know whether to trust them. He trusted Terra, and look where that left him! Then again, they did save his life... Then again... so did Terra... Robin's silence spoke for itself and the metal boy nodded, seeming to understand him. He looked to be slightly older than Robin, while the green boy appeared to be younger.

"My name's Victor, but you can call me Cyborg," he said. Cyborg pointed his thumb back at his friend, "That's Garfield."

"My name is Beast Boy!" He said. "Beast Boy sounds way cooler than Garfield."

"Right," Cyborg added sarcastically. "You've been out cold for a few hours at least. I changed your bandages just a few minutes ago. Do you want anything to eat?"

Robin looked from Cyborg to Beast Boy. He could trust them, right? He wasn't sure... Terra had offered him food too... But it wasn't as if he could just get up and walk out now. He wasn't in proper condition. At least he could still walk before she found him. Hesitantly, he nodded.

When Beast Boy gave him his food, Robin was shocked to see it was a slice of cheese pizza. Back at home, when ever he was hurt or sick, his mother would prepare soup or give him ice cream or cotton candy. Now that he thought about it, Robin doesn't remember the last time he had pizza. Using his uninjured arm, he took a bite out of it. It was hot, but delicious.

"Thank you," he said with a nearly full mouth. After finishing that slice and two more slices, Robin was full. He tried to get up again, but the pain only returned to his back.

"Hey, you need to rest, kid," Cyborg said, laying him back down. "You're lucky nothing's broken, but whatever hit you left behind several large bruises on your back. It'll take a day or two until you can walk again. Until then you shouldn't be moving much, alright?"

Robin nodded.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Beast Boy asked, with a whole pizza slice in his hand.

"Leave him alone, BB. Kid needs his space." Cyborg made the impression that he was going to lead Beast Boy out of the room. Robin didn't want to be alone.

"My name is Robin," for a moment he questioned himself why he used that name again. Why didn't he say his real name? Oh, right... people were after him. He needed to protect his identity.

Beast Boy and Cyborg turned back towards him. They seemed shocked that he spoke out like that.

"Robin, huh? That's a cool name," Beast Boy said. Now he was starting a conversation. Good. Robin wanted one.

"Thanks... Where am I?"

Cyborg spoke, "This is our hangout. Nothing special... It's pretty big for just the two of us. We have TV, food, video games, you name it!"

"Don't you have parents?"

That seemed to be the wrong question to ask. Cyborg and Beast Boy shuffled nervously at the word 'parents'. Did they have any or were they orphans like Robin?

"I ran away from home," Cyborg said at last. "After they did... this to me," he gestured at his body, "I didn't want to live with them anymore... They made me a freak. Now nobody wants to be around me."

"And I don't like to talk about my parents," Beast Boy added. That was understandable. Robin didn't want to talk about his past either.

"So it's just you? No adults?"

"No adults!" Beast Boy repeated. Robin didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"But how do you afford everything? How do you get everything you need?"

The two kids looked at each other and back at Robin.

"We have to earn it ourselves," Cyborg said. "By fighting crime. Beast Boy and I have superpowers, so we beat bad guys and the city funds us."

Robin has only ever heard and read of superheroes. He's always found them admirable. He found a smile spread across his face.

"That's so cool! Can I be a superhero too?"

Beast Boy smiled, "What are your powers, Robin?"

Confusion came over him, "Do I need superpowers to be a hero?"

That small question made the two boys uncomfortable. But Cyborg spoke, "Of course not! It has nothing to do with powers. It has to do with heart. And you have heart, Robin."

"I know acrobats," he said. "And I took a self defense class when I was younger. I can fight!"

"Well, we'll wait for your wounds to heal," Cyborg replied. Then we'll test your skills.

Soon enough, Robin was well enough to walk on his own. He continued progressing in health as days went by. He has grown to trust Cyborg and Beast Boy more and more. He enjoyed learning about machines from Cyborg, and he enjoyed playing video games with Beast Boy. Whenever Cyborg and Beast Boy went on missions, Robin stayed behind, but was given a communicator in case he wanted to contact them while they were away. This kept Robin from feeling lonely. On the TV, he would watch the young heroes beat bad guys, in which most were adults.

Finally, Robin was healthy and strong enough to fight. In the gym he showed his acrobatics skill and used them in a way that could help him in combat. It felt strange, using his talent for self defense in stead of entertainment, but he enjoyed every minute of it. Eventually, the superhero duo became a trio.

"I love it!" Robin said, stepping back into the room in his new uniform. His eyes were covered with a black and white mask. He had green gloves, steel-toed boots, a black and gold cape, green tights, and a red and green shirt with a black and yellow 'R' emblem.

"I was a little surprised of the colors you asked for," Cyborg admitted. "But I found a way to make it work. And with that mask, no one would recognize you."

"So what's your new superhero name?" Beast Boy asked. He concluded it began with an 'R' from Robin's emblem.

"Robin," he said simply.

This brought confusion to the other two boys, "But why are you wearing a mask if you're using your real name?" Cyborg asked.

"I lied... Robin isn't my real name."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to ask him for his real name, but he thought better of it. To Robin's surprise, they didn't bother him much more about his real identity... At least they knew what Robin looked like beneath his mask.

Years past and Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg became a great team. Other young heroes got to meet them, fight alongside them, and earn communicators, but none joined their team. All three of them found that they were more than a team... they were friends... brothers. They didn't want more people to ruin the relationship the three boys shared. Since Robin began wearing the mask, no one said anything about their pasts. That wasn't a problem to Robin. He trusted Cyborg and Beast Boy and they trusted him. That was all he needed to know.

**END PART ONE**

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: What do you guys think? Don't worry. Part two will be much more angsty because the characters will be older. If you watched The Lion King, then you know what happens in the end, but I'll still have my Teen Titans plot twists in there. And you will get to see more of Terra! **

**I'm usually a Terra fan, but I'm just making her evil here because... well... SOMEONE had to play the hyenas! **


	2. Lion King Part Two

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, here's where we get the romance and stuff. I realized I didn't add too much comedy in Part One, so I'll try to make it up here.**

**Sorry for taking so long... school and stuff... but I was able to make it! :) Don't ask me when Part three will come out, because I don't know.**

**And as for other Disney movies, I was thinking I can also do "The Little Mermaid", "Hunchback of Notre Dam", "Pocahontas", and "Anastasia". I'll be happy to accept requests if you can think of something else.  
**

**On with the story!**

* * *

**-THE LION KING Part 2-**

**EIGHT YEARS LATER**

"There is great evil in this world," said the Azarathian demoness. She was in the lotus position, meditating. "Not near a threat compared to my father, but he is a dangerous man."

She knew of the situation. A mercenary who lived in the circus had killed his brother and his wife and son. Since then the man, by the name of Slade, has grown stronger and more powerful. She had no idea why no one knew of him in the superhero community. It might had to do with the man being the world's greatest tactician and mercenary. He was quite... agile...

Raven had thought about terminating the situation herself, but she had a strong feeling that it wasn't her place to vanquish Slade. It was only a matter of time before he had the city- no. The country under his control. Maybe even the world... She sighed as she was reminded of the murders of the circus family, "The Flying Graysons". Although it happened eight years ago, it was still a shame they died... especially the boy. The world knew that he had been killed only moments after his parents were, but Raven had suspected otherwise.

She felt the boy's energy. While it did disappear from the area, she felt that he was still alive somewhere. Over time Raven thought it didn't matter whether the boy was alive or not. He had potential, yes, but it wouldn't be enough to stop the madman, who happened to be the boy's uncle.

Right now Raven was meditating in an empty park in Jump City. She didn't know herself why she would go here. She was a traveler: Go from place to place, save the day, and leave. Raven wasn't one who usually went to places vacated by heroes. Jump City already had protectors. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Robin were their names from what she knew. As she meditated she opened her eyes in response to sensing a familiar aura.

"What? No, he couldn't be..." Raven started. She closed her eyes and sensed for the source of the aura. It belonged to one of the heroes: Robin. At first she was confused, but she quickly caught on. The Grayson boy, Richard, was alive after all! He must have formed the new identity 'Robin' to hide himself. She didn't keep up with the superhero community too often, but it memory served her correctly, then Robin became known to the world shortly after Richard's disappearance.

"If he's alive... then that could only mean one thing: Richard must be the one to vanquish Slade."

Now it made sense to her: That's why her sixth sense had told her not to interfere with the conflict. Because it wasn't up to her. This was something that Richard would have to deal with on his own. But would he be ready? Would eight years be enough time for the boy to prepare? He was much stronger now than when he was a child. He knew how to fight. Would it be enough to go against the mercenary? That was something not even Raven knew. What she did know, was that there was a storm coming. The least she should do is prepare for it. If Richard is slaughtered in the hands of his uncle, then she would have no choice but to intervene. Until then all she could do was sit back and watch things unfold...

* * *

Slade washed the blood off his hands. Over the years he had gotten better at covering his tracks, but he knew that soon, he was going to expose himself to the world. It was the only way if he planned to control it. Stepping out of the bathroom, his servant, Starfire handed him a towel to dry off. Wordlessly, he accepted the towel and dried off. Over the years the princess had grown. As she was still an adolescent, she wasn't fully developed. Starfire stood the height of Slade's shoulder. He handed the slightly wet towel back to her and strode past her as if she wasn't there.

He sat down on his couch and used the remote at turn on the news at a low volume. The news reporter was talking about an apartment building that had burned down mysteriously. Slade allowed a smirk to be visible on his face. After murdering that man, he started the fire in his apartment so as to hide the evidence. From the current state of the building, it was doubtful that there would even be a body left to find.

Starfire walked in a moment later, bringing him his wine.

"Are you proud of what you have done, Slade?" she asked.

That question surprised him, but he didn't show it. It wasn't unusual for her to give him backtalk or talk in an irritated tone. He didn't punish her for silly things like that. After all, she was forced to come with him to this contract. After years of being trained how to kill, the princess became more calm to the idea of taking another's life. She was born a warrior, wasn't she?

"I did what was necessary," he responded. He took a sip of his wine.

"Was it necessary to burn down the building? Innocent people have died in the fire, and we were only requested to kill one man-"

Slade turned his head to face her. She was still garbed in her mercenary uniform, which was a black, armored outfit with an 'S' on the right side of her chest. Slade had told her many times that insignia did not stand for 'Starfire'.

"If I hadn't burned down the building the police would have known it was murder. You should learn, Koriand'r, that sacrifices must be made."

He wasn't in the mood for her pointless arguments. Not now, at least. He had work to do. The tone of his voice warned Starfire that the conversation was over. She tipped her head and turned to leave the room.

"I need you to do something for me, Koriand'r," Slade said, causing her to stop walking.

She didn't turn around, "Yes?"

"I believe you are ready to go on a contract yourself. With your powers it should only be about a fifteen to twenty minute flight. It is your responsibility to learn about your next victim, kill him, and hide the evidence. Even if that means taking the lives of others... Is that understood?"

She turned her head around and nodded, "Yes, sir."

"If you try to do anything stupid, I'll activate the collar."

Starfire stiffened as he said that. She lightly placed her hand on the device wrapped around her neck. With a press of a button, Slade could give her a slow, painful death. Even after the loss of her best friend eight years ago, she still had a reason to stay alive: Her planet would need a new leader one day, and as heir to the throne, it was her responsibility to stay alive when the time came. Only then would he remove the collar... that is if he didn't decide to kill her.

"I understand."

She sounded depressed... defeated. Was she still hanging over Dick? She should have gotten over his death years ago. He didn't want a sulking apprentice.

"Richard is long gone... it's about time you get over him."

That only made her angry, "Why would you mention him? You killed him!"

Yes, Starfire quickly connected the dots. It took her a while to say anything because she was afraid of Slade.

"I did what I had to," he repeated. "You were a mere child at the time. His death should mean nothing to you by now."

"You made me kill strangers. Dick was my best friend... and he was a child as well."

Starfire thought of the happy little boy she used to know. She vaguely wondered what he would be like if he were alive today.

"I never made you kill him, now did I?"

She shook her head.

"Then I don't want you to speak of this anymore. Now as for your contract, you are to leave tomorrow to perform it. Now go to bed."

"Yes, sir."

When the princess left the room, Slade wondered if it was the best idea to let his apprentice kill a man all on her own, especially so far away. He knew he had total control of her. The collar did more than just electrocute her, but it also drains her of her extraterrestrial powers. Only Slade could decide when she could use her powers. Even when he allowed her to use them, they would not always be active. From what Slade knew of Tameraneans, their powers were controlled by their emotions. With Starfire in a constant state of depression, it would be difficult for her to work them.

She had admitted defeat long ago, after many childish attempts of escape. If she tried to remove her collar Slade would know, and she would be punished. Even if she flew off into space back to her home planet, she would still be a button away from death. Slade was confident she wouldn't dare run.

Slade stayed on the couch until he knew Starfire was fast asleep. Only then did he turn in for the night. He thought about the brief conversation about Dick. Why had he felt the need to bring him up? He remembered: To tell her to forget the past. Richard was her past. Slade is her present and future. She would have to learn that one way or another. He thought back to why he had Dick killed in the first place. His parents. Slade chuckled. How foolish he was to go after a dream of an acrobat. A mercenary much better suited him. Nonetheless, John and Mary were in his way. They had to be exterminated. As for the boy... he wasn't sure. A child wouldn't be a problem for Slade, but he knew that Dick wouldn't be a child forever. He would grow up, learn the truth, and, if he was crazy enough, extract revenge. Better to kill a helpless child than to try to kill an angry man years later...

_Dick is dead, and there's no changing that. I'll soon have the world to control anyway..._

* * *

Sixteen-year-old Robin the Boy Wonder, was training vigorously in the gym. As the only hero in the group without superpowers, he had to work harder in order to fight against villains. He liked exercising anyway. Now that he, Beast Boy, and Cyborg were teenagers, they were dubbed 'The Teen Titans'. Robin liked that name.

He threw multiple punches and kicks at a punching bag. Sweat dripped down his forehead and his hair stuck to the back of his head. Today Robin was overexerting himself. He thought he could get over it by letting his energy out, but that didn't seem to be working. He wanted to punch the punching bag until his knuckles bled.

To his dismay, Beast Boy entered the room seeing Robin attacking the punching bag.

"Dude, how long were you in here?"

"Several hours."

"Dude, stop! You're going to kill yourself if you keep it up like this!"

Beast Boy was right, but Robin had his own problems. When he wouldn't stop, Beast Boy pulled him away from the punching bag.

"Don't make me turn into a gorilla!" he warned.

This made Robin stop punching. His knuckles grew red... too red...

"Dude, you're bleeding!"

"It's just a scratch," Robin said, trying to shrug it off.

"I'm getting Cyborg."

Robin shook his head, "You don't have to, Beast Boy. I'll take care of this, see?" He made his way to the first aid kit and bandaged his hands. When he was finished, Robin held out his freshly wrapped hands for Beast Boy to see before sliding his gloves back on.

The entire time Beast Boy said nothing. It was unusual for him to be this quiet, unless he was in deep thought. He crossed his arms at the Boy Wonder, "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Robin said, patting his face with a towel. He opened a water bottle and drank from it.

"I know you better than that, Robin. You only work out like that when something serious is stressing you out. What is it?"

Robin sighed, "You better not tell Cyborg... I don't want him bothering me about it too."

"Dude, you know I can't do that! What effects one of us effects all of us. Just tell me."

He grimaced. Of course he wouldn't keep a secret. Whatever I tell him, he tells Cyborg...

"It's not your problem. It's just something personal."

Beast Boy looked at Robin, as if trying to read his mind. They both knew however that mind reading wasn't Beast Boy's power. He turned away from Robin, which allowed him to ease a little.

"It has something to do with your family, doesn't it?"

Robin looked at Beast Boy with wide eyes. His heart dropped to his stomach as he said this.

"I know, because tomorrow would be exactly eight years since you first met us."

That's right... eight years ago today Robin had lost everything. Eight years ago tomorrow, he would have began his new life. It seemed almost surreal for Robin to believe that half his life he spent as a trapeze artist in a circus, and the other half he spent fighting crime with super-powered kids and teenagers. After debating with himself for a short moment Robin looked back up at Beast Boy.

"It's the anniversary of my parents' deaths," he admitted. He thought it was safe enough to reveal this much to his close friend. After all, he had known him half his life.

"Oh... I'm sorry, Robin... I didn't-"

He held a hand up to stop him, "It's alright, Beast Boy. It happened a long time ago... My past is in my past. This is my life now. You and Cyborg are my family."

Beast Boy stood quietly, then opened his mouth as if to say something. He thought better of it and closed it again.

"What? Beast Boy, you can say anything."

He pondered on whether he should reveal his own past. Robin had respected Beast Boy to not ask, but he hadn't spared his friend. Before Beast Boy said anything, their communicators rang. Robin was faster.

"Someone's planning a murder," he said. Beast Boy and Robin joined Cyborg in the main room to tell him, but he already knew.

"Let's go," the half-robot said. The three of them packed into the T-Car and drove into the city.

When they got to the scene, a scared looking man wearing a brown work suit came up to them, "Thank God you boys are here! I need your help!"

"What's the problem, sir?" Robin asked.

"Let's just say that one thing led to another and now I'm in dept to the wrong crowd."

"You mean like the mafia?" Cyborg asked.

He shook his head, "No- well, I don't know. Maybe. But they're going to kill me! Literally! Or maybe they'll hire someone to kill me? I have a wife and kids... please, I'm sure you understand."

Beast Boy stepped closer to the trembling man, "So you want us to protect you?"

He nodded, "Yes!"

"Why can't you just call the police?" Cyborg asked.

"Don't you think I've tried?!" The man fell on his knees. "I just want these people off my backs!"

"We'll see what we can do, sir," Robin said.

After interrogating the man further, Robin, Beast Boy, and Cyborg allowed the man's family to stay at the tour until the situation was under control. That night, the three of them took shifts to watch over the man. After several hours, Cyborg woke up Robin to begin his shift. He paced outside of the door, occasionally peeking inside to find the snoring man.

_The Teen Titans are heroes, not bodyguards_, Robin thought._ But the city has been oddly quiet lately... too quiet for my taste... At least we have something to do._

Robin thought back to the conversation he had with Beast Boy earlier that day. Beast Boy was going to tell Robin something, but what? Did it involve his past? He suspected so. His thought were interrupted by the sound of light, swift, and fast footsteps. He knew right away it couldn't be Cyborg or the man. Robin glanced at the sleeping figure that was Beast Boy. It wasn't him either.

He quietly walked into the man's bedroom, listening intensely for a sound that could give the intruder away. He leaned against the wall and waited. His breathing shallow. He waited in the darkness for what seemed like an eternity. Robin wondered if he had heard anything at all, or if it was just his imagination. He heard a scream coming from the hallway, and Robin ran out of the bedroom to see Beast Boy pinned down by a young woman holding up a knife.

"STOP!" She turned to face Robin. He knew right away she wasn't normal. Her hair was fiery red and her eyes were glowing green... Where has he seen those eyes before? Beast Boy used this distraction to turn into a mouse and scurry away from the killer. She headed towards Robin, the only thing that stood between her and her next victim.

Cyborg lifted his sonic arm cannon at her, but Robin turned him down.

"No! Stand back! She's mine! Protect the man!" Robin ordered. He still had a lot of pent-up energy to release, despite his overexerted workout this morning. He knew he would be able to do that fighting this girl. He couldn't help but notice she looked so familiar... Cyborg and Beast Boy back down, and Robin attacked the girl with his bo-staff.

"Who are you and who sent you here?" he demanded. The girl didn't answer. Instead she threw her knife at the Boy Wonder. It stabbed the wall, dangerously close to his ear. He gritted his teeth and swung the girl with his staff. With ease, she yanked it from him and snapped it in two. The assassin grabbed Robin by the front of his shirt, causing the other two to panic. Beast Boy morphed into a wolf and growled at her, and Cyborg got out his arm cannon again.

"Put him down," Cyborg ordered.

The girl shot green blasts out of her hands, which nearly hit the two boys. Cyborg and Beast Boy got out of the way just in time. Robin's eyes widened as he saw this. He only knew one person who was capable of doing this.

"S-Starfire?"

She looked back at the boy when he said that. At first she was surprised, but she took another look at him. The girl pinched the edge of Robin's mask. When he didn't move or protest, she pulled it off. She had let go of the boy once she realized who she attacked.

"Dick?" She said this so quietly only Robin could hear her. The other two looked from the girl to Robin in utter confusion.

Starfire hugged her long-lost friend, as Dick was reminded of how strong her hugs were, "Star... Can't... breath!"

"My apologies," she said happily, letting go of him. Yes, this was her best friend. Once Dick's breathing returned to normal, Cyborg spoke out.

"You know this psycho?"

Robin nodded, "I knew her before I met you guys... She was my best friend."

Starfire hugged him again, but this time lighter, "I thought you were dead! We all thought you were dead! I thought-"

"It's okay, Starfire... I'm alright," he placed the mask back on his head. "And my name is Robin now."

"But don't you want to go back to the circus?"

Robin shook his head, "I can't go back there anymore, Star. This is my life now."

Starfire was quiet for a moment, thinking over what Dick said, "I know you miss them."

They both knew she wasn't talking about the elephants, the clowns, or Mr. Haley. Dick was once again reminded of what today was.

"I missed you..." He replied. They held hands and stood in front of a very confused Cyborg and Beast Boy. "Oh, and Star, these are my friends, Beast Boy and Cyborg."

"Greetings," she said. "I am Princess Koriand'r of Tameran, but you shall call me Starfire if you wish."

"Princess?" Beast Boy repeated. "We almost got our butts kicked by a princess?"

Robin laughed, "She's a warrior princess, BB. You don't want to get on her bad side." He remembered why Starfire was here in the first place, "You're an assassin now?"

She bowed her head, "I was forced to. It was not my choice. My master gave me a contract to fulfill on my own. That is the man who I have been paid to kill," she said, pointing to the man, who was miraculously still asleep.

"Your safe now, Star," Robin reassured her. "Why don't we spend some time together?"

Starfire knew she would be questioned if she was away for too long. But anything is better than never seeing Dick again.

"I would like that," she smiled. The two teenagers linked arms and strolled out of the building.

"Hey! What about us?" Cyborg asked.

Beast Boy's eyes widened in realization, "Dude! I know what's happening!"

"What?"

"Don't you see? They're falling in love and they don't have a clue!"

Cyborg smiled, "Aww. Good for them!"

"No!" Beast Boy said. "You don't understand! If Robin gets together with that Star girl, then he won't hang out with us anymore! It would only be the two of us again! We can't let that happen!"

"We can't?"

"No, we can't! If they fall in love, we'll never see Robin again."

Cyborg was skeptical, "So what do you think we should do?"

"We have one goal tonight, Cyborg: Keep Robin and princess eyes from falling in love!"

* * *

"Dude, are you sure this plan of yours will work?" Cyborg asked behind the bushes.

Beast Boy was hidden beside him, "Of course it will. Since when has any of my pranks gone wrong?"

Cyborg was bitterly reminded of how hard he and Robin had been pranked by Beast Boy over the years. He said nothing in response, but watched as Starfire and Robin held hands in the dark park. They were talking quietly to themselves, but they were too quiet for the other two to hear. Beast Boy pulled out a blow dart and stuck a dart on the end. He planned to hit Robin with it, which will make him look stupid in front of the girl. When he shot the dart, he missed, and it hit the princess instead.

"Ow!" She said, holding up her arm for Robin to see. He smiled and pulled it off of her and flicked it away. Starfire smiled romantically back at Robin.

"Way to go, champ," Cyborg said sarcastically. "Now they're even more in love!"

"Don't worry, dude. This was just part one! You wait until I get out the bees."

After multiple attempts of trying to separate the two love-struck teens, Beast Boy and Cyborg ended up covered in bee stings, bug bites, and were soaked in water and hot sauce.

"I give up!" Beast Boy said. "It didn't work!"

"Not only did it not work, but I think we caused them to fall even more in love. Look, why can't you just accept it?"

"Because without Robin, it'll be just the two of us! I don't want to go back to a duo! We need Robin!"

"Why don't we just let Starfire join the team? She's strong and has powers."

"We're a team of BROS, Cyborg! The only all-male super hero team if you recall. Think about the Justice League. They have girls! And Bee's a part of Titan's East. And Elastic Girl's part of the Doom Patrol! Plus, it'll be really awkward if Starfire joins our team... Didn't she say she was an assassin?"

Cyborg shook his head, "Man, you are too selfish, you know that? I believe that what Rob and Star has is real. I'm out."

"Cyborg!" Beast Boy pleaded. "I need you here!"

"No way, man. I'm going back to that dude's house to tell him he's safe. Then I'm sending his family straight home. You can either come with me or waste your time stalking Robin."

Cyborg was angry. They had both had a long, painful night. When Beast Boy didn't say anything, Cyborg left.

* * *

Words cannot express how happy Robin was to see Starfire again. They talked to each other about their childhood memories while walking through the park at night. Robin took her to his favorite restaurant and ate and laughed. He felt happier than he could remember. Being with her made him feel calm and outgoing. They laughed as Robin was telling a funny story.

"-And I ate it! Ha ha! You should have seen the look on Beast Boy's face!"

Starfire giggled as they were leaving the restaurant. Starfire tripped on the pavement, but was caught by Robin. They paused in this position for a moment. Robin looked into Starfire's eyes. He had never before appreciated how beautiful they looked. He loved everything about her: Her hair, her smile, the way she talks, her strength, and her carefree and loving personality. Robin could tell she was hiding something, however. What was it? Why wasn't she the same princess he knew she was on the inside?

Starfire looked into Robin's masked eyes. He looked so different with them on. She was glad Dick allowed her to take off his mask to let her look at his blue eyes. While the rest of his visage and stature as changed over the years, her friend still had the exact same eyes from the last time she saw them. She blushed when Robin stared at her, before he pulled her back up. She had so many things to tell him, but she didn't know if she could. If she told the truth about her past, it would be impossible for Robin to see. She knew that he would turn away from her if she said anything about his uncle... But she knew it would be selfish to stay quiet about something like this.

They walked on the sidewalk holding hands. Both were blushing. Was he really in love with her? She had been his friend for years and they both admitted they would never date each other... but they were just children then. He felt different around her than he felt with anyone else, and he liked it. Starfire and Robin sat down on a bench next to a bus stop. Both were nervous around the other, but neither knew why.

"I, uh... so... How's the circus since I left?" Robin knew that was dangerous territory for himself, but he couldn't think of a better question. He didn't want to question Starfire on her new career choice... at least not yet.

"The circus is alright... they are getting along without the need of myself or the... trapeze artists."

He knew she was about to say 'Flying Graysons', but he didn't let that bug him.

"Di- I mean, Robin... Your uncle... I'm not supposed to say anything-"

"What about my uncle?" Robin asked, persistent to make her continue.

She sighed, "I'm forced to work under him now." She lightly placed her fingers on the front of her collar that Robin previously thought was an accessory to her black outfit. "Slade uses this collar to control me... If I try to defy him... he will hurt me."

"So THAT'S why you had to kill that man!" Robin realized. "I... I'm sorry. My team and I can help-"

She shook her head, "I am the least of your concerns. Slade is a killer as well. He has... sent someone to try to kill you all those years ago. He is the one who cut the wires on the trapeze set."

Of course... Why hadn't he seen this sooner? It was his Uncle Slade... He killed his parents... He convinced Dick to practice without a net that nearly ended his life... He told him to run away and never come back... Slade must have also lied about Starfire not caring about him! As he processed his thoughts, Robin's surprise became sadness.

"What should we do?" Robin asked the princess.

"I'm not allowed to do anything," Starfire said. She touched her collar again. "If he found out you were still alive... If he knew I was talking to you..." she turned her head away and frowned.

Robin placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, Starfire... I can't help. Slade isn't my problem anymore. We would be glad to help you remove the collar, but I can't fight him... I can't go back." He bowed his head in shame.

"Why not?"

"I'm not Dick Grayson anymore, Starfire. Look at me. I'm Robin the Boy Wonder."

She scowled at him, "I never expected Robin the Boy Wonder to be more of a coward than Dick Grayson." Before Robin could respond to the comment Starfire continued. "It is getting late. I must finish my job and return before my MASTER notices!" She flew into the air and disappeared in the darkness. As the hero, Robin should go after her, but he didn't.

"FINE!" He yelled in the darkness, pretending she could hear him. "LIKE I NEED YOU!" He scowled and walked away.

Meanwhile Beast Boy was watching them argue, but he could only hear their shouting. He was glad that Starfire finally left Robin. Beast Boy knew it was best for the team this way, although he wasn't sure what caused that fight. He headed for the tower before Robin did.

Now truly alone, Robin walked to the beach and stared into the clear night sky. The stars above twinkled and danced, displaying a beautiful show... He was reminded of something his father once told him before he died... Something about performers becoming stars? He chuckled. That sounded ridiculous... he believed that crap back then because he was so gullible at that tender age. It would be nice to pretend, though... that his father and mother really were looking down on him from above, but Robin wasn't the religious type.

He looked down from the sky to the sand and ocean waves. It was a cool, comfortable night. He allowed the scene to calm him down. When he felt ready to go home, he turned around to see a stunning sight: A girl was looking back at him. She appeared to be around his age. Her hair was purple and her skin grey. She had a jewel placed on her forehead, just above her violet-colored eyes. She was wearing a blue cloak that covered her body save for her head. Robin has never seen this girl before, and it appeared he was the reason she was here.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Raven, but I believe the question is: Who are you?" This confused Robin. If she didn't know him, then why was she here? "You seem to be under a lot of stress, Richard."

"How do you-"

"I know many things about you," Raven interrupted. She drifted closer the Robin, as if she were floating. "I know you ran away from home after your parents' deaths. I can sense how different your aura is now. You feel conflicted between two separate lives... Who are you: Richard Grayson or Robin the Boy Wonder?"

"I'm Robin. Richard died long ago... he died with his parents..."

"That's what the world believes. The truth is: He is still there. So are your parents... in here," She placed a finger over his his heart.

Robin frowned for a moment. He didn't know whether he should listen to her. If Raven was only here to lecture him, he didn't want it. He turned around, his cape flowing with him.

"They're gone. There's no point reliving a life that doesn't exist anymore. I can't go back... I've made too many mistakes."

"Robin, look at me."

He listened to the sorceress and turned back to face her. When he did, she removed her hand from her cloak and slapped the boy across the face. Robin held his hand to his cheek. That wasn't a petty slap either. That hurt him.

"OW! Why the heck would you do THAT?!"

Raven shrugged like it was nothing, "Does it matter? It happened in the past."

"Yeah, but it still hurts," Robin rubbed his cheek to ease the stinging.

"Yes, the past can hurt... but what's important is that you learn from past mistakes," she moved her hand again so to hit Robin again, but he grabbed her wrist before she got too close to his face. They both smiled. "See? You're already learning."

Raven drifted away from him, but Robin ran after her, raising a hand to stop her, "Wait! Stop! What should I do?"

Her voice echoed across the shoreline, "Let the stars guide you."

"Wait! Raven! Come back!" She became nothing more than an outline as she increased the distance between them. Robin ran further to find that she had vanished. Looking at the sand, he realized that she hadn't even left footprints. Was she even real or just part of Robin's imagination? He turned to face the ocean, taking the most out of Raven's advice. He looked into the beautiful, starry sky. What was he supposed to find? He could use the stars to know his location, but that wouldn't do him any good. Robin was still confused of where he should go.

Feeling hopeless, Robin fell to his knees. He felt sand brush against his pants and the waves barely sprinkling his knees, but he didn't care. He was lost... confused... He had no idea what to do or where to go. He hadn't felt this hopeless since he ran away from the circus... As he watched the sky, clouds rolled in at an alarming speed. Too fast to be natural. He knew that there were superheroes who had the power to control the clouds, but he had a strong feeling they weren't the cause of this. Robin stood back up. He took a couple steps backwards, but he didn't turn around.

_"Richard."_

Robin didn't understand... was the cloud TALKING to him. The cloud began to swirl

He held his head in his arms. _I'm loosing it! First the girl, now this! I need a mental facility!_

The weirdest part of this was, the voice sounded so much like-

"Dad?!" He forced out. He looked into the sky, hoping to see a glimpse of him somehow. The cloud opened, showing a heavenly glow of yellow. A man appeared before him from the opening. Jesus was the first thing to come to his mind. The man was glowing and dressed in white. His face was smooth and showed a firm, yet concerned expression. It was his father.

"Dad..." Robin dropped back down to his knees and faced down. Tears threatening to break through. "I'm sorry!"

Another voice spoke this time.

_"Remember, my little robin."_

The voice was haunting and beautiful at the same time. Of course, only one person came to his mind. Robin tore off his mask and looked up to see his mother, white and glowing, standing next to his father like angels.

"Is... Is this r-real?" Dick's eyes were wet. He was in an emotional frenzy.

_"You ran away,"_ his father painfully reminded him. He wasn't angry all in his tone of voice.

"I'M SORRY!" Dick threw his hands in the air. He wasn't sure if he was apologizing to the ghosts of his parents or at his imagination. "I NEVER MEANT FOR ANY OF THIS TO HAPPEN!"

_"Remember who you are," _his mother said. Tears broke free and Dick cried, but kept his eyes fixed at the sky.

_'Remember who you are'... Who AM I?_

"I'm so confused!" he sobbed. He couldn't form any more words.

_"You are an acrobat... a performer,"_ the powerful, god-like voice replied.

_"You are also a hero... a defender,"_ the comforting, female voice said.

A performer... a defender... an acrobat... a hero... Dick repeated this thought to himself. Performer... defender... acrobat... hero... Performer... defender... acrobat... hero... It clicked. Dick understood. He shouldn't be thinking like either Dick or Robin. He wasn't one or the other... He was both. He had been living two split lives. The first half as the acrobat, Dick Grayson, and the second half as Robin the Boy Wonder. Dick was still alive.

_"Remember who you are..."_ Both parents spoke. They spoke in haunting unison that send a shiver down Dick's spine. He saw that the opening in the sky was shrinking and John and Mary were fading away.

"WAIT! COME BACK! I NEED YOU!" Dick ran into the water in attempt to get closer to them.

_"Remember who you are..."_ They repeated. And just as soon as they appeared, they vanished. Dick stood motionless. His mask laid long forgotten on the beach, and the water was up to just above his knees. Mixed emotions spread across his face. When the stars showed themselves again, Dick wondered if he had really just seen his parents. That haunting phrase pounded into his mind... All of his emotions became that of determination. He walked back onto land, ceasing his mask and placing it back on his face. Robin headed back to his R-cycle and raced back towards the tower.

* * *

It was late in the night, and Beast Boy and Cyborg were alone in the tower. Neither of them felt the need to sleep. Beast Boy had told Cyborg about Robin and Starfire's fight. Cyborg only grew angry at Beast Boy, thinking he caused it. They both knew Robin would be feeling nostalgic when he returned... probably after taking his anger out on some petty crooks...

The door behind them slid open, and a drenched Robin stomped inside, ignoring the wet boot-prints he left behind. Beast Boy and Cyborg exchanged confused glances before looking back at the Boy Wonder.

"What happened to you?" Beast Boy said carefully. When he left Robin, he didn't remember him getting wet. He had an odd feeling something else happened.

Robin tore off his mask and threw it on the floor. They saw it was sprinkled with sand, as well as the rest of his uniform, "Something's come up."

"What happened?" Cyborg repeated more seriously. He got off the couch to have a better confrontation with Robin, but he walked towards the hallway.

Beast Boy followed. Robin noticed this and turned around, "Listen, you guys... I haven't been honest with you... Starfire... she and I performed in a circus together."

The changeling's eyes widened, "DUDE! YOU were in a CIRCUS?! Ouch!" Cyborg punched his arm.

"My name's Richard Grayson," Robin said at once. "I became Robin because I was trying to run away from my problems... Although I didn't realize it at first... it caused me to believe that Dick and Robin were two separate people."

The two boys were shocked by what they were hearing. Both of them were thinking the same thing: What could have caused Robin to suddenly spill his secret identity to them?

"My uncle killed my parents," he continued. Dick threw off his belt and kicked off his boots, "and he's enslaved Starfire. I didn't know what to do because at the time, I was thinking like Robin the Boy Wonder. Then, on the beach, I tried to think like Dick Grayson... It was there I discovered that I am neither one or the other. They were both my lives. And now, I know what to do."

Before Beast Boy or Cyborg could ask, Robin shut himself in his room. Both boys had a strong feeling about what he was doing in there. A half-hour later, he walked out, now in his civilian identity. He was wearing a red and green t-shirt, black tennis shoes, dark blue jeans, and had his hair down.

"When are you coming back?" Beast Boy asked.

Dick paused and sighed, "I think the better question is: 'Are you coming back'... And honestly, I don't know."

"So you're just going to leave us, Rob?" Cyborg asked.

He shook his head, "This is something I must deal with on my own."

They watched him leave the room, and the door slid shut behind him. Both boys remained shocked, staring at the empty doorway.

* * *

_She's late,_ Slade thought bitterly. He knew why his apprentice was taking so long. Without her knowledge, he planted a microphone in her collar the night before her mission. He planned on punishing her, but with the information she unknowingly gave Slade, he would reconsider.

A more important thought drifted through Slade, _Dick is still alive after all... Terra will have some explaining to do. I shouldn't forget she was a child at that time... no older than Dick's age. Yet, she already knew how to kill. No matter. That was a mistake made long ago. I'm merely finishing off what she started. I'll send her back here, as well as Starfire. Those two girls will assist me. I will show them once and for all that Dick Grayson can be killed._

That was another thing: Dick Grayson was Robin. Slade had not expected that, but now that he thought about it, it should have been obvious. He should have seen this ahead of time. Only weeks after Dick's disappearance a new powerless vigilante child joins the young protectors of Jump City. He slammed his fist onto his desk top in anger and grunted. How could he be so stupid? Tricked by a child?! He shook that disturbing thought out of his mind. There was no changing it. Slade knew there was only one way to end this. One way to prevent further risk of being overthrown and humiliated: He had to kill the child himself.

It would have been easier if Dick was still that helpless eight-year-old that was crying over his parents' bodies. Slade had to face the truth that Dick was no longer that child he knew at the circus. No doubt being torn apart from his family had toughen him, but he was still an adolescent. He was nearing adulthood, but wasn't there quite yet. That advantage Slade still had over the boy. If he were to kill him, he had to do it now.

The sounds of footsteps in the corridor alerted Slade that his apprentice had returned. Starfire would use this opportunity to prove herself. Either tell the truth to Slade and left unharmed, or try to protect the boy and she will be punished.

Starfire entered the office and saw Slade sitting in his chair. He seemed to be in deep thoughts. Whatever those thoughts were washed away when she spoke out.

"It is done, sir. I _killed_ him," she said in a bitter tone.

Slade nodded and turned his chair around to face her. He stood up and walked towards his apprentice, "Good job, princess... however, you took longer than expected." He leaned dangerously close to her face. "Much. Longer."

Starfire tried not to look intimidated by Slade's tone, but it was difficult, "He had protection. The Teen Titans had delayed me. I apologize, Master."

She bowed her head a little to add to her apology. Slade didn't buy it.

"I don't believe they gave you THAT much trouble, apprentice. If they had, were are your injuries?"

She stiffened. She didn't have any injuries to show. How could she explain that? In fact, her only pain was emotional... She couldn't believe what Dick had-

"I asked you a question," Slade said harshly. His blue eye narrowed further at the princess. She turned her head to the side.

"I-I do not have the injuries, Master." She answered softly.

He pulled away, but still spoke in a strong tone, "Then I need you to answer me truthfully. What had taken you so long? Were you asking for help? Were you trying to escape?"

She shook her head, "N-no. I only had the hunger and- AAAHHH!" Without warning, Slade pressed the trigger that activated Starfire's collar. Pain filled through her as she was electrocuted. She screamed and fidgeted while trying to control her stance... It was useless. In five seconds she was laying, twitching violently on the ground. Now that Starfire was aware of what was happening to her body, she bit her tongue to keep herself from screaming further.

Slade silently counted the seconds in his head.

Seven...

Eight...

Nine...

Ten.

He lifted his thumb off the red button and Starfire's twitching ceased. She panted heavily and held herself to keep herself from shaking further.

"LIAR!" He roared. His voice caused her to whimper. "Did you know that before your mission, I implanted a microphone in your collar?"

She was in too much pain to fully grasp this information, but she lifted her head weakly.

"I know the truth about Richard! He's ALIVE! And you LIED to your master about it!"

Starfire lowered her head and covered her face with her hands. Her shoulders shook.

_Great. Now she's crying._

"H-He's not- He's not coming."

Slade spoke in a calmer tone, so not to upset her more, "Yes, I am aware. Alas, he still poses a threat to me."

She lifted her head back up revealing the redness in her green eyes. She shook her head, "Please don't! Dick does not want anything to do with his old life! He will not interfere!"

"There's no guarantee of that, Starfire. He could change his mind... After all, since he knew about you being my apprentice, it's only a matter of time before he would want to save you."

"Prisoner."

Slade looked back to the source of the soft voice. "What was that?"

"I'm not your apprentice... I never was. In the end, I am nothing more than your prisoner forced to do your work."

"Lie all you want, apprentice. Eventually you'll learn to see things my way. Dick will die."

Starfire grew angry. If it wasn't for her collar, her eyes would be glowing.

"You vile, cruel man! For years you kept me! Keeping me under your control! And I. GAVE. IN. I gave in, because I had thought Dick truly was dead! Now he's alive! I have the hope! I have something worth fighting for! And I will NOT sit back like your good, little apprentice and LET YOU KILL HIM!"

"Control your temper or I'll make it TWENTY seconds!"

"NO!" Starfire rose from the ground, and her eyes flickered a neon green. Slade panicked and pulled out the controls. Her powers were off! Why were they working with the collar on? She grasped the metal collar with both hands. "I WILL NOT SUFFER FROM YOU AGAIN!"

And she pulled. Slade didn't have to press the button again as the collar automatically went off. The electronic currents pierced her skin once more, but she fought through the pain, which seemed to dim as she pulled harder. Slade knew it would be dangerous to go anywhere near her. He could do nothing but watch as the alien spasm in the air with the device secured around her neck. She let out a grunt but refused to scream. Her hands grew red and sore from pulling at the metal.

She didn't care.

Her body was growing numb from the shock.

She didn't care.

Starfire felt the metal bend in her grasp. She made it this far. There was no turning back. The metal chipped, giving her scrapes and cuts. She ignored them. In what seemed like slow motion, the collar broke free. Without a moments hesitation, the alien girl bolted out of the haunt. Slade stood there, half angry, half perplex as she left. Only one thought went through her mind: She had to warn Dick.

**End of Part Two**


End file.
